Why Do People Have So Many Tabs Open In Their Browsers?

Something that I’ve increasingly noticed is that, for many people, having many tabs open in their web browser appears to be a common thing. And I’m puzzled as to why this is the case.

I can understand having some tabs open where they’re playing a radio stream, or are pages that you’re referring to while making notes or writing a blog post. Maybe tabs are open for webmail or document editing, or a social network.

But what blows my mind is when I read about people having open tabs for things that they may read/watch/listen to at some point.

There are so many tools and services out there for collecting and organising bookmarks, or clipping text from web pages. Heck, you could add bookmarks directly into your browser if it is something you’re likely to revisit a lot.

And yet somehow people are either unaware of these options or ignore them. And then complain that their browsers are slow. And look at alternative browsers like Arc.

Here’s a radical thought. Perhaps a ‘better’ browser would be one that gently educates users on how to manage information online. Education, not revolution.